Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with humic acid compositions having significant commercial utilities. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such compositions, as well as methods of treating soil using the same, wherein the compositions comprise humic acids with one or more polyanionic polymers.
Description of the Prior Art
Humic acids are a principal component of humic substances, which are the major organic constituents of soil, peat, lignite coal, and leonardite, the latter being a highly oxidized form of organic matter technically known as low rank coal between peat and sub-bituminous coal. Humic acids have also been defined as the fraction of humic substances that is not soluble in water under acidic conditions (pH less than 2), but is soluble at higher pH levels. Humic acids include fulvic acids, which are generally lighter in color and have a lower molecular weight. Humic acid is commercialized as solid or liquid products, and is readily available.
Humic acid is known to have a number of desirable agricultural utilities. For example, crusted or saline soils of high sodium content can be successfully treated with humic acids, which serves to improve the tilth and workability of soil, and to increase the aeration thereof. Additionally, humic acids are believed to enhance plant growth by increasing root respiration and formation, and to generally stimulate seed germination and plant development.
However, humic acids are sometimes slow-acting, and thus the beneficial results from application thereof may not be realized for a considerable period of time. There is accordingly a need in the art for improved humic acid compositions which can be more readily taken up by soils for remediation thereof or for seed and plant growth stimulation.
Verdesian Life Sciences, LLC commercializes a series of maleic-itaconic copolymer products designed to enhance the plant uptake of phosphates and micronutrients when applied to seeds or the soil adjacent seeds or growing plants. Among these products are AVAIL® liquid compositions for use with liquid or granular phosphate fertilizers. The liquid fertilizer product is a partial ammonium salt of a maleic-itaconic copolymer having a pH of about 2, whereas the granular fertilizer product is a partial sodium salt of maleic-itaconic copolymer having a pH of about 6-8. While these products have proven to be very successful commercially, they are relatively expensive, several hundred dollars per gallon to growers. If compositions could be devised which substantially less expensive while giving substantially equivalent performance, this would be a significant breakthrough in the art.